Leader Schumer Floor Remarks On Republicans ‘Cutting Now, Asking Questions Later’ After Rushing Through A Rescissions Package Following The Devastating “Big, Ugly Bill”

Washington, D.C. – Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) today spoke on the Senate floor following yet another dead-of-night vote by Senate Republicans to pass their rescissions package—one that guts critical funding for local TV and radio, slashes foreign aid that keeps Americans safe, and protects billionaire tax cuts at the expense of working families. Below are Senator Schumer’s remarks, which can also be viewed here:

Last night, while Americans were asleep, Senate Republicans gutted critical funding for local TV and radio, for foreign aid that keeps America safe, all to keep paying for their billionaire tax cuts.

On the very same day that communities in Alaska turned to public radio and TV for tsunami warning updates, Republicans in Washington voted to take that funding away. It is senseless, it is cruel, and it just defies common sense.

The Republicans have become the party of “Cut, Cut, Cut now; Ask questions later.”

Cut healthcare for seventeen million Americans.

Cut food assistance for hungry kids.

Cut good-paying energy jobs and let Beijing get ahead of us.

Never mind that kids will go hungry, or that families will lose insurance, or that people will get sick and die.

Make no mistake: just like with the “Big, Ugly Bill,” the more Americans learn about what Republicans just did in this rescissions package, the more they won’t like it, and the more Republicans will squirm. We saw a lot of squirming last night.

When parents see that Republicans just axed educational programming, when people see that Republicans just axed Sesame Street to pay for tax cuts to billionaires, when rural Americans see that Republicans not just betrayed them and defunded public radio – sometimes the only source in rural areas, so vital to natural disasters as the only news source there – the consequences will be severe.

Americans will remember. And Democrats will ensure that they don’t forget.

We will make sure Americans don’t forget what Republicans are doing, just like we are doing with the “Big, Ugly Bill.”

Just like these tax cuts for billionaires. Just like these massive Medicaid cuts. Last night’s vote axing PBS and axing local TV will haunt Republicans as the damage sets in.

Today, tomorrow, next month, next year, Americans will be talking about these cuts at their diners, at the grocery store, at dinner, at the park – because the cuts will be felt everywhere.

Here’s what Americans don’t want: they don’t want Republicans to rubber stamp DOGE’s awful and damaging cuts, no questions asked. Republicans never seem to challenge Donald Trump, or DOGE, or Russell Vought.

When you cut investments that actually make people’s lives better – when you cut those investments like healthcare, local TV, education – people get angry.

So, make no mistake: when Donald Trump and Republicans rammed the “Big, Ugly Bill” through, Americans quickly saw how Donald Trump and Republicans betrayed them, and their popularity is already declining.

When families saw the consequences, when Americans saw the Medicaid cuts, when kids are getting food ripped from their mouths so billionaires can pay less in taxes, it is disastrous for Donald Trump and many Republicans. And we saw that on many faces across the aisle last night, who didn't want to do what Trump wanted them to do, but were forced into it because of threats or frailty or fear.

Well, the same thing has happened as I speak.

As I speak, Democrats are fighting in the Appropriations Committee to unwind the awful DOGE cuts against veterans.

That’s just what’s happening to our veterans through these DOGE cuts. What is happening to them is terrible.

Our veterans are people who volunteered, who risked their lives. Many of them came back with injuries and PTSD, and when they get to the veterans hospitals, because there have been such cuts, their care is inadequate.

They risked their lives for us, and Republicans and Trump and DOGE cut veterans’ healthcare. It's outrageous, but they're doing it. We love our veterans, and then they cut what our veterans need and want.

The meeting today, in the Appropriations Committee, shows that there is a way that Republicans can undo these awful DOGE cuts.

Reversing DOGE’s cuts through the MILCON appropriations bill today is a direct rebuke to Donald Trump. It's saying to Trump that we don't like what you did. But we'll see if Republicans come along and if they will defy Trump and vote to undo the DOGE cuts.

It’s simple: Republicans have a choice to make as we move forward.

They could put their constituents over Trump and work with Democrats to continue funding the government in a responsible way.

Or they can continue to go it alone, and continue to bow in obeisance to Donald Trump, and rubber stamp his awful cuts that do such harm to Americans in uniform.

And if they do it alone, without undoing the terrible things that DOGE did here and elsewhere, Democrats will make them pay a price, just as we have made them pay a price on reconciliation. Republicans can continue to bow in obeisance to Donald Trump, and rubber stamp whatever cuts he tells them to make.

But you can’t just push these awful cuts farther and farther down people’s throats and not expect them, the people, to respond.

Republicans, for their own good and for the good of the country, need to be careful about making so many devastating cuts so quickly and just on a party line vote, in reconciliation and rescissions and whatever else they might come up with to avoid the process.

And if Republicans keep going down this road, if they choose to ignore the bipartisan process, if they keep reneging on funding agreements reached in committee, if they prefer to strike deals with Donald Trump and Russell Vought to use impoundment, rescissions, and pocket rescissions to cut whatever they want on a party line vote, the harms to the American people will be devastating.

It will be devastating in healthcare, it will be devastating to our farmers, it will be devastating to our veterans, it will be devastating to the millions of people who were promised jobs in healthcare and clean energy.

It'll be Americans back home who will see even more cuts as they proceed on this road, if they do – more cuts to housing, more cuts to education, to research, to economic development.

It'll be our farmers who see their costs go up. It’ll be small businesses who get taken advantage of by special interests and by erratic tariff policies.

The consequences for this chamber and our country will be very stark indeed.

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